The film contrasts the stories of prison inmates who are forced to give…
Conviction
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
Bianca, Treena, Laura, and Caitlin are a stark reflection of the troubling worldwide tendency to criminalize and imprison the most vulnerable in society—those most affected by poverty, addiction, childhood trauma, and mental illness. Together with long-time prisoners’ rights advocate Kim Pate and others, these women collaborate with the filmmakers to answer a deceptively simple question: What would you have needed to avoid incarceration? Through art, photography, filmmaking and poetry, the women inside envision a more ideal world on the outside. Their creative agency emerges as a force that empowers them to chart the course of their own lives, and they become increasingly engaged in making Conviction—not another ‘broken prison’ film, but rather a ‘broken society’ film. Conviction takes us on a raw and cinematic journey, while making the impassioned argument that we would do better to create communities that heal and support our most vulnerable, rather than punish them further.
Citation
Main credits
Ackerman, Nancy (film director)
Ackerman, Nancy (screenwriter)
Ackerman, Nancy (director of photography)
Ackerman, Nancy (editor of moving image work)
Pahlke, Ariella (film director)
Pahlke, Ariella (screenwriter)
MacInnes, Teresa (film director)
MacInnes, Teresa (screenwriter)
MacInnes, Teresa (film producer)
MacInnes, Teresa (editor of moving image work)
Clarke, Annette (film producer)
Other credits
Director of photography, Nance Ackerman; edited by Nance Ackerman & Teresa MacInnes; original music by Judith Gruber-Stitzer.
Distributor subjects
Crime and Criminals; Law and Legal Studies; Canada; Social Issues; Gender Issues and StudiesKeywords
WEBVTT
00:14.081 --> 00:16.550
MUSIC FACILITATOR:
Draw some breath in.
00:16.583 --> 00:19.152
(women inhaling)
00:19.186 --> 00:20.888
And then send the breath out.
00:20.921 --> 00:23.056
(women exhaling)
00:23.090 --> 00:28.896
GROUP:
Ahmmmmm, ahmmmmmm, ahmmmmmm.
00:28.929 --> 00:36.270
(keys jangling)
(feet shuffling)
00:36.303 --> 00:40.607
DONNA VAUGHAN: Jangling keys, clanging the doors and shuffle feet parade.
00:40.641 --> 00:43.944
All those sounds remind me
of a great mistake I\'ve made.
00:43.977 --> 00:45.946
It soon will be seven
years ago
00:45.979 --> 00:49.383
since I came to this
prison hell.
00:49.416 --> 00:54.888
I\'ve seen not but the light
of day seen my prison cell.
00:54.922 --> 00:58.625
I know I am no angel,
nor am worst on earth.
00:58.659 --> 01:03.430
Release me from my shackles
and let me prove my worth.
01:03.463 --> 01:07.434
Release me from my shackles
and let me prove my worth.
01:07.467 --> 01:10.671
GROUP:
♪Ashley, Ashley.♪
01:10.704 --> 01:12.906
♪Caitlin, Caitlin.♪
01:12.940 --> 01:17.511
♪Treena, Treena.♪
01:17.544 --> 01:20.881
♪Ashley, Ashley.♪
01:20.914 --> 01:25.052
♪Tasha, Tasha.♪
01:25.085 --> 01:28.021
MUSIC FACILITATOR:
And then start listening
to inside yourself.
01:28.055 --> 01:31.692
Breath is what
powers your voice.
01:31.725 --> 01:34.428
Breathe it in,...and let it out.
01:34.461 --> 01:37.965
(inhaling and exhaling)
01:37.998 --> 01:40.667
And you\'re gonna go \'aaahh\',
with that colour blue
01:40.701 --> 01:42.336
just coming out of your mouth.
01:42.369 --> 01:47.407
One...two...three.
01:47.441 --> 01:54.414
GROUP:
Aaahhhh.
01:54.448 --> 02:02.289
GROUP:
Aaahhhh.
02:02.322 --> 02:03.857
(violin playing)
02:03.890 --> 02:06.226
ASHLEY SLAUNWHITE:
Say I take pictures
with the camera.
02:06.259 --> 02:09.096
Is there ways we can do
it in black and white?
02:09.129 --> 02:12.933
FILMMAKER:
You can use black and white,
colour, art, music, poetry,
02:12.966 --> 02:15.135
like anything you want.
02:22.609 --> 02:25.579
ASHLEY:
Oh, this is awesome, right?
02:38.325 --> 02:41.228
MUSIC FACILITATOR:
First word\'s gonna
be \'confusion\'.
02:43.764 --> 02:47.234
Now I\'m gonna say...\'anger\'.
02:58.378 --> 03:02.582
Now instead of words,
just react to the music.
03:02.616 --> 03:07.587
(violin music playing)
03:07.621 --> 03:12.526
(violin music playing)
03:12.559 --> 03:22.035
(violin music playing)
03:22.069 --> 03:28.041
(violin music playing)
03:28.075 --> 03:34.114
(violin music playing)
03:38.518 --> 03:42.022
FILMMAKER:
I just wanted
to introduce Kim Pate,
03:42.055 --> 03:44.691
who\'s the Executive
Director of the
03:44.725 --> 03:47.160
Canadian Association of
Elizabeth Fry Societies.
03:47.194 --> 03:50.731
KIM PATE:
Well thank you, it\'s nice
to see some of you I haven\'t,
03:50.764 --> 03:53.100
who I\'ve met before and,
although I always wish
03:53.133 --> 03:56.703
I was seeing you not in jail,
but most of us in the system,
03:56.737 --> 03:58.972
including those of us that
work with E Fry,
03:59.005 --> 04:02.008
often don\'t think about \'what
could it be like if we had
04:02.042 --> 04:04.845
something very different\' and
so one of the things I wanted
04:04.878 --> 04:07.147
to ask you guys to do
is imagine that.
04:07.180 --> 04:12.586
So, \"if I had \'x\', how could
I end up not being in here?\"
04:12.619 --> 04:15.355
CAITLIN HILL:
\'Cause I have Borderline
Personality Disorder,
04:15.388 --> 04:18.692
so it\'s hard for me to deal
with stuff, so I act out
04:18.725 --> 04:21.361
and get myself charges,
that\'s why I\'m in here.
04:21.394 --> 04:23.430
And we don\'t have enough
treatment with people
04:23.463 --> 04:26.366
with mental health disorders.
It\'s so hard.
04:26.399 --> 04:29.469
BIANCA MERCER:
Not having that motherly
love, basically,
04:29.503 --> 04:32.272
how do you fix abandonment?
How do you fix that?
04:32.305 --> 04:37.577
How do you go and find a rehab
that\'ll show you that you
04:37.611 --> 04:40.981
are loved. Being without that
affection is what got me here.
04:41.014 --> 04:43.917
JEN SIMS:
Looking back now, Tasha,
what would you have needed?
04:43.950 --> 04:53.126
NATASHA PACE:
Um,...I think someone
to just listen to me.
04:53.160 --> 04:56.897
TREENA:
Personally, that\'s my thing,
y\'know, I\'m an alcoholic
04:56.930 --> 04:58.498
and I\'ve never went to court
04:58.532 --> 05:02.102
and them say, \'well we\'re gonna send you to, to recovery,\'
05:02.135 --> 05:05.605
y\'know, and I\'ve been in
and out of here for ten, ten
05:05.639 --> 05:08.241
or more years, it\'s always been straight to jail.
05:08.275 --> 05:11.311
KIM:
But, okay, so you guys,
did you know how much it costs
05:11.344 --> 05:12.946
to keep you guys in prison?
05:12.979 --> 05:14.581
GROUP:
No.
05:14.614 --> 05:16.883
KIM:
Let\'s say, a conservative
estimate is $100,000.
05:16.917 --> 05:20.487
You know, just imagine, if
instead of coming to jail,
05:20.520 --> 05:22.222
100,000 bucks, what
could you create
05:22.255 --> 05:25.125
so that you wouldn\'t
end up back in here?
05:25.158 --> 05:28.328
(camera clicks)
05:28.361 --> 05:30.730
LAURA TONEY:
This is your close up Laura.
05:30.764 --> 05:34.534
(music plays)
05:34.568 --> 05:38.104
BIANCA:
In my world, mothers would
have to love their children.
05:38.138 --> 05:41.007
Affection is a must.
05:41.041 --> 05:44.711
Rape and abuse wouldn\'t
exist in my world.
05:44.744 --> 05:47.414
Those words wouldn\'t even exist in the English language.
05:48.949 --> 05:52.552
TREENA:
I swear I could feel my
heart begin to decay.
05:52.586 --> 05:56.223
I\'d never felt more hurt
or been more betrayed.
05:57.357 --> 06:00.694
The drive with the stranger
didn\'t take long
06:00.727 --> 06:03.163
before we pulled up
outside my first group home.
06:06.933 --> 06:08.602
WOMAN:
Right here?
06:08.635 --> 06:10.503
CHRISMA DENNY:
But it\'s really interesting.
06:10.537 --> 06:13.840
FILMMAKER: And when you guys leave, you can take the cameras with you.
06:13.874 --> 06:15.475
Hi Caitlin.
06:15.508 --> 06:17.177
Hi.
06:17.210 --> 06:21.381
CAITLIN:
Growing up, I didn\'t know
how to handle myself.
06:21.414 --> 06:25.385
I cut with anything
that\'s sharp and pointy.
06:25.418 --> 06:28.288
And it helps me cope.
06:28.321 --> 06:32.359
JENN SIMS:
What if we wrote down some of
the words that we had to draw
06:32.392 --> 06:34.995
to today and we thought about
writing Haikus to them.
06:35.028 --> 06:36.630
FILMMAKER:
That\'s a great idea. Okay.
06:36.663 --> 06:38.632
NATASHA PACE:
What, writing what to them?
06:38.665 --> 06:42.269
JENN SIMS:
Haikus. Japanese poems.
06:42.302 --> 06:47.908
Five syllables, seven
syllables, five syllables?
06:47.941 --> 06:49.542
BIANCA: I am beautiful.
06:49.576 --> 06:53.280
Strong, independent. And incarcerated.
06:53.313 --> 06:55.415
(clapping)
06:55.448 --> 06:59.085
KIM:
See all of you here.
Talented women in groups.
06:59.119 --> 07:01.154
Welcome in my home.
07:03.490 --> 07:05.225
TANYA BIGNELL:
Eight thirty work time.
07:05.258 --> 07:08.795
Beeps, bangs, echoes from
the pod. East unit, full time.
07:08.828 --> 07:12.933
(laughing and clapping)
07:14.668 --> 07:17.671
JEN SIMS:
Utopian dream.
07:17.704 --> 07:23.076
Value...support...respect me.
07:23.109 --> 07:26.413
(group singing and humming)
07:26.446 --> 07:29.282
Strong woman revered.
07:34.354 --> 07:36.356
(tapping)
07:36.389 --> 07:39.926
LAURA:
I always think,
why isn\'t there grass?
07:39.960 --> 07:43.129
Why isn\'t there a tree?
07:43.163 --> 07:46.232
At least give us a tree.
07:46.266 --> 07:48.902
But that doesn\'t happen.
07:48.935 --> 07:53.340
(tapping)
07:53.373 --> 07:55.642
I don\'t like it.
07:55.675 --> 08:01.381
But I still smudge and I still
believe...that it\'s heard,
08:01.414 --> 08:04.217
like deep inside of me.
08:04.250 --> 08:10.123
That will never
go away.
08:10.156 --> 08:18.765
(knocking)
08:18.798 --> 08:22.168
ANNOUNCER:
Lock up in the East Unit.
Lock up in the East Unit.
08:24.004 --> 08:26.139
KIM:
I mean, really you
wanted to have
08:26.172 --> 08:28.408
interviewed me
twenty years ago.
08:28.441 --> 08:31.244
And then I would have said,
\'Oh, we could take down
08:31.277 --> 08:34.080
these walls, we could put some
windows, we could paint them,
08:34.114 --> 08:36.416
we could make it all
look much nicer\',
08:36.449 --> 08:38.752
but I don\'t think there\'s
anything you can do.
08:38.785 --> 08:42.422
You could have the most
beautiful, you could be in a
08:42.455 --> 08:47.627
penthouse but if you can never leave, then it\'s still a prison.
08:47.660 --> 08:51.131
More than half of the
women who are in prison
08:51.164 --> 08:53.633
are racialized women.
08:53.666 --> 08:56.536
Most of them are mothers.
Most of them are poor.
08:56.569 --> 09:00.640
Many of them have experienced
horrific violence as children
09:00.673 --> 09:04.411
and as adults and so they
very early on dealt with
09:04.444 --> 09:06.746
mental health issues
or addiction issues.
09:13.086 --> 09:15.321
TANYA:
And remember,
what are you today?
09:15.355 --> 09:17.157
TREENA:
I\'m a filmmaker
and I\'m sober.
09:17.190 --> 09:18.958
TANYA:
That\'s right. Okay?
09:18.992 --> 09:21.161
TREENA:
Okay. Thank you so much.
09:21.194 --> 09:23.963
Freedom, freedom.
09:23.997 --> 09:26.866
TANYA: I have one female for release. Treena Smith. Time expiry.
09:27.834 --> 09:31.871
TREENA:
Peace. Alright. Later, bye.
09:31.905 --> 09:34.474
Free, free!
09:34.507 --> 09:37.577
TANYA:
Be good Treena, I don\'t
want to see you back.
09:37.610 --> 09:39.379
I will.
09:39.412 --> 09:46.419
Nervous...Freed. Released.
Unleashed. Time complete.
09:46.453 --> 09:50.490
Walking back into society.
Riddled with anxiety.
09:50.523 --> 09:56.663
(music plays)
09:56.696 --> 10:00.366
Unprepared, unaware, scared,
10:00.400 --> 10:03.269
scarred from the things
I\'ve made so hard.
10:03.303 --> 10:06.973
Told you guys I was a gardener, landscaper for a while
10:07.006 --> 10:09.309
so I\'d always think of
these weeds growing up,
10:09.342 --> 10:12.445
how the lawn was cut, nobody
whipper-snipped the edges.
10:12.479 --> 10:15.648
(knocking)
10:15.682 --> 10:18.551
(laughs)
There\'s my knocks.
10:18.585 --> 10:20.220
They\'re doing some
good knockin\',
10:20.253 --> 10:22.655
you know their
knuckles are sore. (laughs)
10:26.793 --> 10:28.495
Hi.
10:33.133 --> 10:35.502
STEPHANIE DUNCAN:
Hey, you\'re never
going away again, right?
10:35.535 --> 10:38.805
You\'re never going away again.
10:38.838 --> 10:42.442
They\'re gonna, they\'re gonna lend me this for the day
10:42.475 --> 10:44.110
and I\'m gonna do some videoing.
10:44.144 --> 10:45.712
I better wash my hair.
10:45.745 --> 10:47.347
Probably.
10:47.380 --> 10:50.517
(laughing)
10:51.217 --> 10:52.886
You\'re my wife.
10:52.919 --> 10:54.521
I\'m your wife.
10:54.554 --> 10:56.156
And you\'re sober.
10:56.189 --> 10:57.857
I\'m sober. Very.
11:00.793 --> 11:04.464
(car horn honking)
11:05.498 --> 11:07.133
Yeah, ya.
11:07.167 --> 11:08.968
STEPHANIE: You pay attention to the camera.
11:09.002 --> 11:12.572
No baby, I\'m just taking,
I\'m just taking some shots.
11:17.177 --> 11:19.179
STEPHANIE:
How is it?
11:19.212 --> 11:20.813
Not bad.
11:20.847 --> 11:23.383
I always want to be your
shoulder. Your sturdy boulder.
11:23.416 --> 11:25.585
Your warmth when
nights turn colder.
11:25.618 --> 11:30.557
The one to still think you\'re beautiful as we both get older.
11:30.590 --> 11:34.027
I\'d give anything
just to hold her.
11:42.936 --> 11:46.272
ANNOUNCER:
Any women in the documentary
to the program room please.
11:46.306 --> 11:48.575
To the program room please.
11:51.878 --> 11:54.948
BIANCA (VIDEO):
In my world, mothers would
have to love their children.
11:54.981 --> 11:57.350
Affection is a must.
Mothers who give birth...
11:57.383 --> 11:59.919
There would be no suicide,
nobody would ever feel.
11:59.953 --> 12:02.188
ASHLEY:
...except for the one
of me crouching down.
12:02.222 --> 12:02.222
I want that at the end.
12:02.222 --> 12:07.393
ASHLEY (VIDEO):
Those days can get rough but
know you have to stay tough.
12:07.427 --> 12:12.031
Being strong is a must. When I get out this time will be dust.
12:12.065 --> 12:14.067
TANYA:
Oh, did you
see the bunny ears?
12:14.100 --> 12:16.336
BIANCA (VIDEO):
...in my world, poverty
wouldn\'t exist.
12:16.369 --> 12:21.207
BIANCA: That is so friggin cool. I love it. I\'m excited.
12:21.241 --> 12:23.276
It\'s me, it\'s my voice.
12:23.309 --> 12:26.879
BIANCA (VIDEO):
My words when spoken
should be taken seriously.
12:26.913 --> 12:30.049
In my world, addiction wouldn\'t exist,
we
wouldn\'t ever become
12:30.083 --> 12:33.253
addicted to anything because
nothing would be addictive.
12:33.286 --> 12:35.622
GUARD:
Mercer.
12:35.655 --> 12:37.690
(beep)
12:42.695 --> 12:48.067
BIANCA:
(gasps) I\'m free! I\'m free!
12:48.101 --> 12:50.169
(knocking)
12:50.203 --> 12:55.908
I wish I could bring them with
me...This is all so surreal.
12:55.942 --> 13:00.580
Just gotta get all my ducks
in line...and go for it.
13:00.613 --> 13:02.115
FILMMAKER:
Where you going?
13:02.148 --> 13:03.850
Ah, just going.
13:03.883 --> 13:05.451
FILMMAKER:
You know where?
13:05.485 --> 13:07.754
I don\'t know. I have
nowheres to go.
13:07.787 --> 13:09.389
Vernon, what am I gonna do?
13:09.422 --> 13:12.025
I thought you were gonna
stay out here. I\'m broke.
13:12.058 --> 13:14.827
VERNON:
Well, let\'s get going then,
take you to Tim Hortons
13:14.861 --> 13:19.098
and then get you breakfast
and then I can get to work.
13:19.132 --> 13:22.568
TANYA:
Y\'know, some of these women
that are getting out of jail,
13:22.602 --> 13:25.138
they don\'t have...an address.
13:25.171 --> 13:28.741
BIANCA:
We\'re outta here. New start
to life. I can\'t believe it.
13:28.775 --> 13:31.144
TANYA:
Some of them don\'t
even have a drive.
13:31.177 --> 13:32.945
You gotta give them
a bus ticket.
13:32.979 --> 13:34.981
So then here\'s your bus ticket.
13:35.014 --> 13:39.185
See you later.
Hope you succeed.
13:40.653 --> 13:43.489
(music plays)
13:43.523 --> 13:51.597
TREENA:
Shameful, but I\'m drunk now,
and, ah...it\'s too hard.
13:51.631 --> 13:55.501
Still have love in my heart.
Don\'t want to go back to jail.
14:01.774 --> 14:04.143
It\'s faded.
14:12.352 --> 14:18.358
On the weekend, we had quite
a few drinks and...
14:18.391 --> 14:20.093
got into some arguments.
14:20.126 --> 14:22.362
Got pretty violent.
14:22.395 --> 14:26.933
I have no coping skills and
when I\'m drunk and...
14:26.966 --> 14:31.304
being a self-harmer, I,
ah...I lit myself on fire.
14:31.337 --> 14:35.174
(singing)
14:35.208 --> 14:36.809
GUARD:
That\'s negative.
14:36.843 --> 14:39.212
She\'ll be coming
in the side door and she\'ll
14:39.245 --> 14:41.047
be going right back
to East, please.
14:41.080 --> 14:50.056
(singing)
14:50.089 --> 14:57.063
(singing)
14:57.096 --> 15:01.501
(singing)
15:01.534 --> 15:04.170
I smell like fucking
ass everywhere.
15:28.394 --> 15:32.365
Like, it\'s fucking mind games
man, it\'s fucking me up.
15:32.398 --> 15:34.500
And she fucking ratted
me out twice
15:34.534 --> 15:37.136
and I still fucking love her.
15:40.139 --> 15:43.276
GUARD:
Nothing is gonna come good
out of this relationship.
15:43.309 --> 15:46.212
(guards talking)
15:46.245 --> 15:50.616
No, well like I\'m a fucking idiot too. Like I fucking, I...
15:50.650 --> 15:53.219
No, when she, when they read
the fucking disclosure,
15:53.252 --> 15:54.821
like I, it\'s very
upsetting, like,
15:54.854 --> 15:58.858
fucking, the things
I do man, ohh.
16:01.127 --> 16:07.633
(guards chatting)
16:08.768 --> 16:10.770
TANYA:
She\'s gonna get searched,
now, guys.
16:10.803 --> 16:14.607
We need to give
her privacy, now.
16:18.711 --> 16:24.951
TANYA:
Hi, I got Caitlin Hill,
going to a visit.
16:25.785 --> 16:27.420
CAITLIN:
Hi Claire.
16:27.453 --> 16:29.055
CLAIRE: Hi Caitlin.
16:29.088 --> 16:30.656
CAITLIN:
I miss you.
16:30.690 --> 16:32.758
CLAIRE: I miss you, too. We\'ll see you tomorrow.
16:32.792 --> 16:34.460
CAITLIN:
Okay.
16:40.967 --> 16:44.036
(Caitlin humming)
16:50.343 --> 16:51.978
Hi.
16:52.011 --> 16:54.547
MARGARET:
Hi baby girl. You did
it the first time.
16:54.580 --> 16:56.649
CAITLIN:
There, you\'re on camera.
16:56.682 --> 16:59.519
Aww. How you doing?
16:59.552 --> 17:01.153
Good. I\'m getting out.
17:01.187 --> 17:02.722
Nine more sleeps.
17:02.755 --> 17:04.323
Nine.
17:04.357 --> 17:06.726
What do you want for
your first day out?
17:06.759 --> 17:08.327
What do you want for meals?
17:08.361 --> 17:10.963
Are you gonna make your cheesecake for me for Easter?
17:10.997 --> 17:13.332
Yeah, if you make them
their Easter Bunny cake.
17:13.366 --> 17:15.701
With them? I\'m doing so good with my thoughts
17:15.735 --> 17:17.937
and self-harming. You wouldn\'t believe it.
17:17.970 --> 17:19.872
No, like I don\'t even have them.
17:19.906 --> 17:22.275
You\'re gonna be a great
success at home, Caitlin.
17:22.308 --> 17:23.876
It\'s your new beginning.
17:23.910 --> 17:25.511
Yeah.
17:25.545 --> 17:27.146
I\'m so proud of you.
17:27.179 --> 17:30.149
I\'m gonna cry, you know. (laughs)
17:30.182 --> 17:33.486
Oh my God, we\'re so emotional today.
17:33.519 --> 17:35.621
\'Cause it\'s getting close
to you coming home.
17:35.655 --> 17:38.457
I know...we\'re gonna cry when we see each other.
17:38.491 --> 17:40.459
It\'s gonna be good.
I love you.
17:40.493 --> 17:42.795
I love you, too.
17:42.828 --> 17:44.964
You be safe.
Promise?
17:44.997 --> 17:46.799
I will. Mom, I will!
17:46.832 --> 17:48.634
Alright, love you. Bye.
17:48.668 --> 17:50.536
Love you, too. Bye.
17:59.078 --> 18:04.684
Doesn\'t matter their age, you
just want the best for them.
18:04.717 --> 18:09.655
Home is never enough,
she\'s institutionalized.
18:09.689 --> 18:13.025
As much as she loves me and
as much as I love her,
18:13.059 --> 18:15.728
and as much as she loves
her family...
18:15.761 --> 18:18.464
it\'s not enough for her.
18:18.497 --> 18:21.634
We can\'t recreate
the structure that
18:21.667 --> 18:24.670
the institutions have
created for her.
18:24.704 --> 18:29.775
We can\'t replace the
safety for her.
18:29.809 --> 18:31.410
She doesn\'t feel safe at home.
18:31.444 --> 18:35.114
She only feels safe here,
or in hospital which,
18:35.147 --> 18:38.985
they\'ll never take her back
in any hospital, here.
18:42.922 --> 18:45.524
She lived a year and
a half in the IWK,
18:45.558 --> 18:51.430
then nine months in Abbie Lane
and then once that ended,
18:51.464 --> 18:57.670
she went to the jails.
And she\'ll...keep reoffending
18:57.703 --> 19:01.374
to get back to jail...for the
safety. It\'s her safety net.
19:04.410 --> 19:08.047
(group humming and singing)
19:08.080 --> 19:12.018
SPOKEN-WORD POET:
I am quiet, but I
need to speak.
19:12.051 --> 19:14.553
So much emotion pours
out of me.
19:14.587 --> 19:18.257
My head just spins,
each passing day.
19:18.290 --> 19:20.926
I need you to hear
what I have to say.
19:22.294 --> 19:25.598
I\'ve learned to be silent
but it never helped.
19:36.075 --> 19:38.778
FILMMAKER:
Why do you like that shot?
19:38.811 --> 19:42.348
LAURA:
Um, I\'m thinking
about that red door.
19:42.381 --> 19:44.984
Um, I did something
really bad.
19:45.017 --> 19:47.953
I wanted to smudge and they
were using the smudge kit
19:47.987 --> 19:52.324
lighter to smoke banana and
I got mad and I took her head
19:52.358 --> 19:57.129
and I...put it into
the metal door.
19:57.163 --> 19:59.665
I got five days in
my cell for that.
20:07.406 --> 20:11.477
And I know where there\'s grass.
20:16.182 --> 20:22.722
I can see it, I can see it.
Now I can see the grass.
20:22.755 --> 20:26.726
ANNOUNCER:
Methodone,
Methodone, Methadone.
20:26.759 --> 20:31.197
LAURA: And you can tell what time of year it is by the colours and,
20:31.230 --> 20:36.902
couple times I tried to touch
but you can\'t quite touch it.
20:40.406 --> 20:44.343
It\'s so close but so far away.
20:45.311 --> 20:47.012
Fuck!
20:50.983 --> 20:53.719
BIANCA:
I\'m leaning up
against my new home.
20:53.753 --> 20:56.155
(police car sirens)
20:56.188 --> 20:59.558
Ah, my first day, I ended up
staying on the roof of an
20:59.592 --> 21:03.095
apartment building. I didn\'t
really sleep, I just kinda...
21:03.129 --> 21:08.667
had a towel and laid there
and...got myself, ah, Dilaudid
21:08.701 --> 21:11.270
and used for the
first time in eight months.
21:11.303 --> 21:15.107
It\'s sad to say, like a couple
of times I said I wish I was
21:15.141 --> 21:19.145
back in jail, and...that\'s
really, really, sucks
21:19.178 --> 21:20.846
that I have to say that.
21:23.649 --> 21:25.718
I feel really stupid.
21:29.622 --> 21:31.824
I was supposed to do good.
21:31.857 --> 21:34.426
(crying)
21:34.460 --> 21:36.829
You guys were supposed
to come and see me
21:36.862 --> 21:42.668
and see that I was positive and excited about getting out,
21:42.701 --> 21:48.140
and everything just didn\'t
go as planned at all.
21:48.174 --> 21:51.443
It\'s really hard, it really is.
21:54.647 --> 21:57.550
Yeah, I\'ve just kind of
been wandering around
21:57.583 --> 22:00.252
and trying to figure
out where I fit in.
22:07.626 --> 22:09.295
There\'s high school.
22:09.328 --> 22:12.198
I don\'t miss that
school at all.
22:13.966 --> 22:17.403
I was just...mad at the world.
22:21.974 --> 22:25.244
When I was a kid,
I was abused.
22:27.046 --> 22:30.216
No one really helped me or,
22:30.249 --> 22:33.552
um, was just kind of
a lost cause, I guess.
22:38.591 --> 22:40.159
(rattling)
22:40.693 --> 22:43.829
(crunching)
22:47.366 --> 22:49.435
(Bianca breathing)
22:55.541 --> 22:59.712
Fifty, forty-nine...
22:59.745 --> 23:02.681
(phone dialing tone)
23:02.715 --> 23:05.451
RECORDING:
...your call at this time...
please leave your number
23:05.484 --> 23:08.787
and a brief message and we\'ll
be happy to get back to you.
23:08.821 --> 23:11.624
(indistinct speech from phone)
23:11.657 --> 23:13.893
Thank you and have
a wonderful day.
23:13.926 --> 23:16.328
(answering machine record tone)
23:16.362 --> 23:20.199
Hi, my name\'s Bianca Mercer.
I\'m trying to get a bed.
23:20.232 --> 23:25.337
If you guys can get back
to me, that\'d be great.
23:25.371 --> 23:29.174
RECORDING:
I am unable to take your
call at the moment.
23:29.208 --> 23:31.243
Please leave a detailed
message and your number
23:31.277 --> 23:33.846
and I\'ll get back to you.
(beep)
23:38.784 --> 23:42.187
I\'m in need of help,
really bad.
23:42.221 --> 23:45.424
I\'m heading to detox in
the next week or so
23:45.457 --> 23:48.594
and I have no place to live.
23:52.164 --> 23:53.766
(phone dialing tone)
23:53.799 --> 23:58.604
I\'m, I\'m barely getting by
out here, I need help.
24:01.573 --> 24:10.883
(music)
24:10.916 --> 24:13.752
RECORDING:
Regular office hours
are Monday to Friday
24:13.786 --> 24:18.724
8:30am to 4:30pm. If you
are calling after these hours,
24:18.757 --> 24:21.226
please leave a message
after the tone.
24:21.260 --> 24:30.302
(phone dialing tone)
24:41.447 --> 24:45.484
KIM:
We\'re building more and
more prisons and acting
24:45.517 --> 24:49.188
as though we think prisons can
somehow be treatment centres,
24:49.221 --> 24:53.692
shelters for battered women,
adequate housing.
24:53.726 --> 24:56.862
And then we take people in and
then throw them back out
24:56.895 --> 25:00.165
on the street and expect them
to fend for themselves.
25:00.199 --> 25:02.935
The key in terms of responding to questions, is to remember
25:02.968 --> 25:06.071
what the key messages are and
not to get taken off track.
25:06.105 --> 25:10.843
Reduce numbers of women in
prison and not improve
25:10.876 --> 25:13.312
the conditions but
reduce the number in
25:13.345 --> 25:17.182
and as an interim step,
close segregation.
25:17.216 --> 25:18.817
DARLENE MACEACHERN:
Good morning.
25:18.851 --> 25:22.154
We\'re a network of 25
societies across the country.
25:22.187 --> 25:25.491
We are here today to discuss
the urgent need for action
25:25.524 --> 25:28.093
to address the circumstances
of criminalized
25:28.127 --> 25:29.695
and imprisoned women.
25:29.728 --> 25:33.032
I was asked to come here by our advocacy team because not only
25:33.065 --> 25:36.135
is this the region where Ashley Smith died, a young woman
25:36.168 --> 25:39.638
who was put in custody after not receiving support and care
25:39.671 --> 25:41.974
in the community, but since
then we\'ve now had
25:42.007 --> 25:45.677
two more deaths in federal custody. We are wasting billions
25:45.711 --> 25:49.381
and billions of dollars on
putting people into prisons
25:49.415 --> 25:51.683
and even those working
in federal custody
25:51.717 --> 25:53.685
are throwing up their
hands. They recognize
25:53.719 --> 25:55.487
most of the women they\'re
dealing with,
25:55.521 --> 25:58.557
should not be there in the
first place but they have no
25:58.590 --> 26:01.427
choice but to try and manage
the best they can.
26:04.196 --> 26:08.600
TANYA:
It\'s hard when you\'re
a correctional officer.
26:08.634 --> 26:11.537
You\'re supposed to be strong. You\'re not supposed to be weak.
26:11.570 --> 26:15.074
You\'re not supposed to be able
to be affected by anything,
26:15.107 --> 26:18.544
but when you know their story,
I look at it as the fact
26:18.577 --> 26:20.379
that they never even
had a chance.
26:20.412 --> 26:22.648
Psss psss psss. Hello Mama.
26:22.681 --> 26:28.520
I could still separate
myself...from the jail.
26:28.554 --> 26:31.890
Took a long time for
me to learn how,...
26:31.924 --> 26:34.927
but I eventually did.
26:34.960 --> 26:38.997
When I come home and I see
her and him, and the dog
26:39.031 --> 26:42.734
and the cat...that\'s my
life, that\'s my world.
26:43.135 --> 26:44.636
(sniffing)
26:44.670 --> 26:50.876
Be nice. Good boy. Get your
tail, get it! Get it bud!
26:50.909 --> 26:58.417
(chatter on radio)
26:58.450 --> 27:01.820
TANYA:
I usually hold my breath
when I\'m doing my nails.
27:01.854 --> 27:04.056
That way I don\'t
make a mistake.
27:07.860 --> 27:12.598
I believe that there\'s a
lot more of me to give.
27:12.631 --> 27:18.604
Unfortunately, that would mean
crossing over...boundaries.
27:21.573 --> 27:24.309
Some days, I feel like
I\'m in prison.
27:25.644 --> 27:27.880
It\'s gonna be a good day.
27:27.913 --> 27:33.018
Everything\'s gonna go right and everyone\'s gonna go home safe.
27:35.387 --> 27:38.824
ANNOUNCER:
All the ladies who
are in the documentary,
27:38.857 --> 27:41.994
please report to your
dayroom front please.
27:42.027 --> 27:44.596
Not happy.
27:44.630 --> 27:46.165
Hello, hello.
27:47.633 --> 27:52.938
BIANCA: I got arrested and charged with more trafficking and robbery
27:52.971 --> 27:58.944
and breaches and I\'m pregnant
and probably gonna have a baby
27:58.977 --> 28:02.381
that I won\'t be able
to raise, and...yeah.
28:09.154 --> 28:11.924
TANYA:
Y\'know, what was missing,
what wasn\'t there for you
28:11.957 --> 28:15.494
when you got released
that you needed?
28:15.527 --> 28:20.732
Um...a place to live...a home.
28:20.766 --> 28:22.734
Yep.
28:22.768 --> 28:28.473
NATASHA: So, I was in a vacant apartment in a run down building
28:28.507 --> 28:33.845
that is, it was like, sixty days exactly, I was back in here.
28:33.879 --> 28:36.949
I really thought your life was gonna change when you got out.
28:36.982 --> 28:39.785
ASHLEY:
So did I. I mean, it was
awesome, that house,
28:39.818 --> 28:42.354
the staff were awesome.
It was about the people that
28:42.387 --> 28:44.957
was living there with me.
And that\'s the hardest thing
28:44.990 --> 28:47.526
because there\'s still people
in that house that are using.
28:47.559 --> 28:49.828
TANYA:
There\'s not enough housing
availability for these ladies.
28:49.861 --> 28:51.830
They can\'t get social
assistance
28:51.863 --> 28:54.399
unless they\'re outta here.
How is that even possible?
28:54.433 --> 28:56.535
They need an address to get it.
28:56.568 --> 28:59.504
They make it so difficult for
these ladies to succeed.
28:59.538 --> 29:01.940
That\'s all they need,
is a helping hand
29:01.974 --> 29:04.009
once they get out the back door.
29:04.042 --> 29:08.714
They need a place for women to
go when they get out of jail.
29:08.747 --> 29:11.617
CAITLIN:
Especially for people that\'s
been here. I\'ll be here for
29:11.650 --> 29:14.686
fourteen, fifteen months by the time I get out and I\'m not,
29:14.720 --> 29:17.823
it\'s gonna be a shock. We need something that\'s gonna help ya.
29:17.856 --> 29:19.458
TANYA & CAITLIN:
Reintegrate.
29:19.491 --> 29:22.828
TREENA: Yeah, I\'d love to just come across a suitcase full of money
29:22.861 --> 29:24.630
and just open up my own farm
29:24.663 --> 29:26.898
and just take people in without any bullshit, right.
29:26.932 --> 29:29.968
BIANCA:
That\'d be so sick.
We\'ll hire you.
29:30.002 --> 29:33.438
You won\'t have to work here no more. We\'ll double your wages.
29:33.472 --> 29:35.907
Yeah, then I\'ll come. (laughs)
29:35.941 --> 29:37.542
TREENA:
Lights, camera, action.
29:37.576 --> 29:39.177
ASHLEY:
Check, one two.
29:39.211 --> 29:41.380
(chattering)
29:41.413 --> 29:43.382
NATASHA: I\'ll do that.
29:43.415 --> 29:45.984
TANYA:
Construction
in the making right here.
29:49.454 --> 29:51.089
I\'m doing the deck.
29:51.123 --> 29:56.528
(music)
(humming)
29:56.561 --> 29:58.196
I always have a problem with...
29:58.230 --> 30:01.433
FILMMAKER:
How big do you think
it needs to be?
30:01.466 --> 30:05.771
ALL:
Oh my gosh. Okay.
Three stories. Yeah.
30:05.804 --> 30:11.410
NATASHA:
We\'re building our own place,
like, there\'s a lot that I,
30:11.443 --> 30:15.347
yeah, I just got, like, whew.
30:15.380 --> 30:17.949
This would be so bomb if this
like actually happened.
30:17.983 --> 30:21.153
Isn\'t that something? Well you
said chickens for the eggs.
30:21.186 --> 30:23.455
ANNOUNCER:
Are you looking for
Bianca Mercer as well?
30:23.488 --> 30:25.524
Yes, yes tell her to come, yes.
30:25.557 --> 30:27.159
TANYA:
Send her down.
30:27.192 --> 30:28.794
Hi.
30:28.827 --> 30:31.129
TANYA: Did you get a picture? I wanna see!
30:31.163 --> 30:33.932
ASHLEY:
Oh my God! Oh my God.
30:33.965 --> 30:35.534
It\'s a picture of her baby,
30:35.567 --> 30:37.269
Oh, the head
and the belly.
30:37.302 --> 30:39.571
Oh, what are they called, ultrasound.
30:39.604 --> 30:41.640
Sorry, I was so excited!
30:41.673 --> 30:46.044
See the head, do you see the head? Oh my God!
30:46.078 --> 30:49.181
We\'re building our house. We need your ideas though.
30:49.214 --> 30:53.418
TREENA:
Here\'s a big question. What
are we gonna call this place?
30:53.452 --> 30:59.591
NATASHA: Either a word or, um, an animal or a bug or something that
30:59.624 --> 31:03.362
symbolizes something that
goes from one thing...
31:03.395 --> 31:07.366
(gasps) something happened.
Something that goes from...
31:07.399 --> 31:10.869
GROUP:
From The Ground Up!
From the Ground Up! Yes!
31:10.902 --> 31:12.571
I like that.
31:14.139 --> 31:16.908
TREENA:
Smoking will be outdoors.
Maintain sobriety.
31:16.942 --> 31:19.144
Attend programs. Weekly
issues, suggestions,
31:19.177 --> 31:20.812
like a weekly meeting.
31:24.015 --> 31:26.485
We\'re learning to be
independent again.
31:26.518 --> 31:28.720
That\'s what
this house is for.
31:29.721 --> 31:31.289
(laughing)
31:34.593 --> 31:36.595
TREENA: Okay, From the Ground Up.
31:36.628 --> 31:39.164
FILMMAKER:
Okay, I\'m not recording.
It\'s just a photo.
31:39.197 --> 31:41.099
(camera clicks)
31:45.270 --> 31:48.974
KIM PATE:
When Nelson Mandela came in
as President, one of the first
31:49.007 --> 31:52.544
moves he did was to free
all the women in prison
31:52.577 --> 31:54.846
who had children under
the age of twelve.
31:56.114 --> 31:58.884
To relegate a mother to prison
31:58.917 --> 32:00.886
was to subjugate
generations to come.
32:03.088 --> 32:05.690
I was a working class kid,
and I went to
32:05.724 --> 32:08.026
law school \'cause I
wanted to make money.
32:08.059 --> 32:12.564
I was raised to believe, you
do the crime, you do the time.
32:15.867 --> 32:19.104
And what became really clear
is the women I worked with
32:19.137 --> 32:22.574
were all the people who had the least. I was really fortunate
32:22.607 --> 32:24.309
that I\'d had other
opportunities
32:24.342 --> 32:26.711
that most of these people
didn\'t have.
32:26.745 --> 32:28.747
Get that big one.
32:28.780 --> 32:32.617
As I got more in touch with that humanity, it became harder
32:32.651 --> 32:35.554
to not want to do something
about it.
32:35.587 --> 32:41.159
(loud scraping)
32:41.193 --> 32:42.894
I actually don\'t
mind shoveling.
32:42.928 --> 32:45.964
In all the work I do, there\'s
so many things that you
32:45.997 --> 32:48.300
can\'t see the results of
right away, but shoveling
32:48.333 --> 32:50.168
you can see results right away.
32:50.202 --> 32:51.870
Hello.
32:54.940 --> 32:59.444
Really it\'s about talking
about non-prison responses
32:59.478 --> 33:02.147
to human behaviours.
33:02.180 --> 33:05.617
That\'s why I spend a lot
of time encouraging people
33:05.650 --> 33:09.454
to think about the trauma that
people who are incarcerated
33:09.488 --> 33:11.256
have first experienced.
33:11.289 --> 33:14.793
Even though individuals may have committed really egregious
33:14.826 --> 33:18.396
acts of violence, understanding the context of that violence
33:18.430 --> 33:20.832
is really important.
Not to excuse it
33:20.866 --> 33:24.503
but to demand that we actually
address it in a different way,
33:24.536 --> 33:27.205
in a way that doesn\'t
perpetuate it or negate it
33:27.239 --> 33:29.608
but prevents it from
happening again.
33:31.843 --> 33:35.113
BIANCA:
So the basic idea is
From the Ground Up,
33:35.146 --> 33:38.984
a house for women to go
to after incarceration.
33:39.017 --> 33:41.319
KIM:
So why would you have
it after prison?
33:41.353 --> 33:42.954
Why not instead of prison?
33:42.988 --> 33:49.694
Um, because society doesn\'t
really give us that option.
33:49.728 --> 33:53.965
Um, if I could get help
before coming here
33:53.999 --> 33:55.834
I probably wouldn\'t
be here, so.
33:55.867 --> 33:57.502
KIM: Mmm hmm.
33:57.536 --> 34:00.839
But what if you went to court and they said you\'re either
34:00.872 --> 34:04.342
going to prison for six, twelve, eighteen months
34:04.376 --> 34:07.145
or you have the choice of going to,
34:07.178 --> 34:08.980
\'From the Ground Up?\'
34:09.014 --> 34:14.452
I would go to \'The Ground Up\'
because there wouldn\'t,
34:14.486 --> 34:18.156
they\'d be able to help me
find out what is going on.
34:18.189 --> 34:22.861
There is something inside of me that\'s obviously screaming out
34:22.894 --> 34:26.164
for help but doesn\'t
know what it is.
34:26.197 --> 34:29.734
CAITLIN:
You know what? When I get out,
I ain\'t gonna get that help.
34:29.768 --> 34:32.470
I\'m not, I\'m gonna be
basically to myself.
34:32.504 --> 34:35.607
I don\'t get the help on the
outside. I pop pills,
34:35.640 --> 34:38.009
I pop my prescriptions,
I drink cough medicine,
34:38.043 --> 34:41.279
I get drunk off alcohol.
I don\'t get the help.
34:41.313 --> 34:44.883
They put me in emerg, give me
charcoal and send me to jail.
34:44.916 --> 34:48.019
That\'s all they do.
That\'s how I get my help.
34:48.053 --> 34:50.221
I don\'t get my help.
34:50.255 --> 34:52.857
So you get, you get more
support when you\'re here?
34:52.891 --> 34:54.859
Yeah.
34:54.893 --> 34:57.095
It\'s not that we want
to be here,
34:57.128 --> 35:00.265
it\'s sometimes where
else do we have to go?
35:00.298 --> 35:02.133
No, I, I get that.
35:02.167 --> 35:05.303
BIANCA:
I\'ve never been told from
a doctor professionally
35:05.337 --> 35:08.707
that I have anxiety
but I know I do.
35:08.740 --> 35:11.343
Sometimes I\'m in my cell,
like, they took,
35:11.376 --> 35:16.881
they did a search and I got so
overwhelmed I started crying
35:16.915 --> 35:20.051
\'cause they took my clothes,
like, and I know I\'m pregnant
35:20.085 --> 35:22.921
but just thinking about it
gets you so worked up
35:22.954 --> 35:25.757
\'cause you have no control.
35:25.790 --> 35:29.728
And that\'s the thing,
it\'s hard to control.
35:29.761 --> 35:33.465
Like when my impulses come,
I automatically react...
35:33.498 --> 35:35.133
act on it.
35:35.166 --> 35:37.435
I spent nine months in seg.
35:37.469 --> 35:39.571
That\'s, that\'s not, that\'s
not helping me.
35:39.604 --> 35:42.440
KIM: Well, it\'s not just not helping you. It\'s against the law.
35:42.474 --> 35:44.476
They do it to me all the time.
35:44.509 --> 35:47.312
I got total nine months in seg. Out of thirteen months
35:47.345 --> 35:50.448
I\'ve been here. I don\'t have
Bipolar, I have Borderline.
35:50.482 --> 35:53.518
KIM: Yeah, and my only point is that usually those are diagnosis
35:53.551 --> 35:55.954
given when really people are
struggling with histories
35:55.987 --> 35:59.257
of being abused as kids,
y\'know, and I\'m not, asking...
35:59.290 --> 36:00.859
CAITLIN:
That\'s what happened with me.
36:00.892 --> 36:02.961
And usually it\'s really
post traumatic stress, not...
36:02.994 --> 36:05.363
CAITLIN:
They haven\'t diagnosed
me with that yet.
36:05.397 --> 36:08.733
Well, part of the reason they
don\'t is because then, then
36:08.767 --> 36:12.270
the state is responsible for
providing you with treatment.
36:12.303 --> 36:14.973
Borderline says you
can control it.
36:15.006 --> 36:17.976
I mean, I don\'t see any
benefit to prison to anybody
36:18.009 --> 36:22.647
and so I encourage you to think about much bigger than just
36:22.681 --> 36:24.315
inside the box of prison.
36:24.349 --> 36:27.152
That if the resource existed
in the community,
36:27.185 --> 36:30.288
there are ways lawyers and
judges could be convinced to
36:30.321 --> 36:33.425
have you go there. If you\'re
going to spend that much money
36:33.458 --> 36:35.026
on this person in jail
36:35.060 --> 36:37.328
then spend that much money
in the community.
36:37.362 --> 36:40.131
But in the short term,
there are ways to try
36:40.165 --> 36:42.767
and help you get out
and get on your feet
36:42.801 --> 36:45.670
so you can have a chance
of raising your kid.
36:48.907 --> 36:53.211
KIM:
My experience with individuals
in prison is it\'s really hard
36:53.244 --> 36:57.816
for them to actually imagine
the, the prison not existing.
36:57.849 --> 36:59.851
So they\'re always
thinking of something
36:59.884 --> 37:02.887
that is still about
their containment.
37:04.355 --> 37:09.260
SPOKEN-WORD POET:
I\'m the one who makes
art with orphan beads...
37:09.294 --> 37:12.097
because no one wants them.
37:12.130 --> 37:14.165
They remind me of all
those forgotten souls
37:14.199 --> 37:15.867
in prisons around the world.
37:17.635 --> 37:19.637
When you give them a chance,
37:19.671 --> 37:23.007
they\'re the most beautiful
creations born.
37:26.010 --> 37:29.414
LAURA:
I\'m painting what the
vision would be
37:29.447 --> 37:32.016
for From the Ground Up.
37:32.050 --> 37:35.820
Lots of grass and trees
and nature.
37:35.854 --> 37:38.523
Lots of, like, spirituality.
37:38.556 --> 37:41.593
Like a different
style of society.
37:41.626 --> 37:46.397
Um, my dad was in a
residential school.
37:46.431 --> 37:49.734
I always saw my dad drunk and
like when you\'re from a place
37:49.768 --> 37:53.772
where, like, there\'s always
drinking and violence around,
37:53.805 --> 37:56.407
you think it\'s normal,
so when you grow up and,
37:56.441 --> 38:01.813
if someone gets bossy with you, whatever, in our mind
38:01.846 --> 38:04.415
it would be okay to hit
them and then \'boom\'
38:04.449 --> 38:06.751
they call the cops and you\'re
charged with assault
38:06.785 --> 38:09.053
and then you\'re right
into the system.
38:11.089 --> 38:14.058
And, then you wonder
what you\'re
38:14.092 --> 38:15.827
like when you get outside.
38:16.928 --> 38:18.596
(beep)
38:18.630 --> 38:22.467
GUARD:
Hi, I have Caitlin Hill being
released. Time expired.
38:27.071 --> 38:28.706
CAITLIN:
Bye, Beazley.
38:28.740 --> 38:30.308
GUARD: Bye!
38:30.341 --> 38:36.080
(violin music plays)
38:36.114 --> 38:39.217
CAITLIN:
Makes me wanna cry.
38:40.151 --> 38:48.226
(violin music plays)
38:56.000 --> 38:59.904
I haven\'t seen you
guys in so long!
39:04.776 --> 39:09.280
(violin music plays)
39:09.314 --> 39:10.849
(car engine starting)
39:12.050 --> 39:14.452
MARGARET: Bye bye jail, never to come back.
39:14.485 --> 39:16.254
CAITLIN:
Never to come back.
39:16.287 --> 39:18.223
What is today?
39:18.256 --> 39:19.824
New beginning.
39:19.858 --> 39:22.760
MARGARET: New beginning. First day for the rest of your life.
39:22.794 --> 39:24.462
Yeah.
39:26.231 --> 39:28.333
MARGARET:
Does it still look
the same, Caitlin?
39:28.366 --> 39:31.336
CAITLIN:
Yes...love it.
39:31.369 --> 39:33.605
MARGARET:
She\'s some happy to see ya.
39:33.638 --> 39:35.673
I know...
39:40.445 --> 39:46.084
This is my home. My mom.
And you can come see my room.
39:48.720 --> 39:51.890
(birds chirping)
39:51.923 --> 39:57.528
Oh, my, I love it! Oh my!
39:59.364 --> 40:01.466
This is my room.
40:01.499 --> 40:06.037
Can\'t wait to sleep in an
actual bed, eatin\' real food.
40:09.107 --> 40:10.808
Love it.
40:13.845 --> 40:16.547
It\'s feeling weird, looking
outside for the first time
40:16.581 --> 40:20.685
without like, havin\'
to worry about bars
40:20.718 --> 40:23.821
or doors shuttin\'.
40:29.027 --> 40:33.631
ANNE SINCLAIR:
No, it\'s really, ah,
it\'s a very bad space.
40:37.035 --> 40:38.903
ANNE:
Hi, I\'m Anne.
What\'s your name?
40:38.937 --> 40:40.805
BIANCA:
Bianca.
40:40.838 --> 40:42.607
ANNE: Bianca, nice to meet you.
40:42.640 --> 40:44.275
JUDY OBERSI:
Judy. Nice to meet you.
40:44.309 --> 40:45.944
FILMMAKER:
And they\'re the architects.
40:45.977 --> 40:49.781
ANNE:
I\'m really thrilled to be here
and to meet you and these
40:49.814 --> 40:53.651
filmmakers have shown us some of the work that you\'ve already
40:53.685 --> 40:55.420
done which is so impressive.
40:55.453 --> 40:57.588
And, um, just a little
bit about myself.
40:57.622 --> 41:00.158
I\'ve been an architect
for about thirty years
41:00.191 --> 41:03.394
and the last while one of my
favorite projects that I\'ve
41:03.428 --> 41:06.130
worked on was Supportive Housing for Young Mothers- SHYM.
41:06.164 --> 41:09.867
I\'m actually going to SHYM,
in the next couple of weeks,
41:09.901 --> 41:11.970
so I\'m excited, yeah.
41:12.003 --> 41:13.604
Have you been there?
41:13.638 --> 41:17.175
I\'ve been inside, um, actually
my apartment is the first one,
41:17.208 --> 41:19.243
right on the first floor,
Number one, so.
41:19.277 --> 41:22.080
ANNE:
I think we need to know
a bit more about
41:22.113 --> 41:23.681
what you\'ve done already.
41:23.715 --> 41:27.618
BIANCA:
The first stage would be like
the rehab/relapse prevention
41:27.652 --> 41:30.421
program and then the second
stage will be more,
41:30.455 --> 41:32.490
ah, programs in privacy.
41:32.523 --> 41:35.360
You have like a mentor and
a life coach and stuff,
41:35.393 --> 41:38.663
but on the third stage,
like you can try to
41:38.696 --> 41:41.032
become one, life coach, mentor.
41:41.065 --> 41:44.669
TREENA: Y\'know, I want there to be land so like the girls can work
41:44.702 --> 41:48.806
and, y\'know, ah, grow, and have, y\'know, some animals, ah,
41:48.840 --> 41:52.243
some tranquility, like forest
around, ah, trails.
41:52.276 --> 41:55.747
ANNE:
What I\'m hearing is, um, this
kind of circular,
41:55.780 --> 41:59.517
beautiful, just this idea that
it\'s not just for people
41:59.550 --> 42:03.354
to go in and be taken care of,
it\'s for them to also come and
42:03.388 --> 42:06.657
take care of the other people,
the new people coming in.
42:06.691 --> 42:10.762
It\'s really quite moving,
it\'s a really nice idea.
42:10.795 --> 42:14.499
TREENA:
I know for me, like I have,
I have really little,
42:14.532 --> 42:17.168
like, self esteem and self
worth but, like, when
42:17.201 --> 42:20.972
I\'m involved in this and I know that like I might even help
42:21.005 --> 42:26.477
one person, like, it like, it helps me, like, like it makes me
42:26.511 --> 42:31.516
feel good about myself, right,
um, and, ah, and I think,
42:31.549 --> 42:34.085
just like our experiences,
like talking to all the women
42:34.118 --> 42:37.188
I\'ve met in jail, like have
changed me a little bit,
42:37.221 --> 42:40.258
and, um, and, I just, I just think they\'re very strong women
42:40.291 --> 42:42.093
and they have a lot to say.
42:42.126 --> 42:44.929
ANNE: You obviously have shown that you\'re all really good at
42:44.962 --> 42:47.498
expressing yourselves
through drawing.
42:47.532 --> 42:53.604
Grab a marker and write or draw what you\'re thinking about.
42:53.638 --> 42:55.106
Dreaming.
42:55.139 --> 42:57.708
The more you can draw,
the closer you\'re gonna be
42:57.742 --> 42:59.210
to achieving the project.
42:59.243 --> 43:08.086
(humming and singing)
(music playing)
43:08.119 --> 43:15.359
(humming and singing)
(music playing)
43:15.393 --> 43:16.994
BIANCA:
Who are you judging?
43:17.028 --> 43:19.597
Honestly, keep your snarky
little comments to yourself.
43:21.999 --> 43:24.202
I\'m going to go.
43:24.235 --> 43:26.604
I\'ve got my desk, and I have my chair...
43:26.637 --> 43:29.974
BIANCA:
...be snarky in front of the
camera, Mary, I swear to God.
43:30.007 --> 43:32.276
TANYA: Do you two want to go back to...
43:32.310 --> 43:34.078
BIANCA:
...you fuck this up for me...
43:34.112 --> 43:36.647
...I let my fucking shit
for you to show up...
43:36.681 --> 43:39.250
And this place has just got me
so down emotionally that
43:39.283 --> 43:42.887
I had to literally,
like, escape.
43:46.958 --> 43:49.727
All I ever wanted was
to be a mother.
43:54.232 --> 43:56.367
I\'m completely helpless.
43:59.437 --> 44:02.540
My life is not a form
of entertainment.
44:02.573 --> 44:04.809
Where is all the integrity?
44:08.546 --> 44:12.750
How can one\'s suffering
be one\'s victory?
44:12.783 --> 44:16.988
My body is still in motion
but I\'m living lifelessly.
44:23.060 --> 44:24.662
WOMAN: Perfect, that\'s excellent.
44:24.695 --> 44:26.764
Handsome!
44:26.797 --> 44:30.501
CAITLIN:
And you go like that
and that\'s Brayden.
44:38.643 --> 44:43.147
So, I\'m home now
and it\'s day one.
44:43.181 --> 44:47.018
It is going really,
really good. I feel happy.
44:47.051 --> 44:49.086
I feel everything.
44:53.124 --> 44:58.529
I\'m recording ya.
Whatcha doing Brayden?
44:58.563 --> 45:00.231
Is that your...
what\'s her name?
45:00.264 --> 45:01.933
BRAYDON:
Sugar.
45:05.002 --> 45:09.106
So, this is day two
of being home.
45:09.140 --> 45:11.742
Hmmm, it\'s okay,
but I do miss it.
45:15.279 --> 45:17.048
RAPPER:
♪Jangle keys and
shuffle feet parade.♪
45:17.081 --> 45:19.650
♪Those sounds remind me of
those great mistakes I made.♪
45:19.684 --> 45:22.520
♪I know I\'m not an angel,
nor am I worst on earth.♪
45:22.553 --> 45:25.189
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
45:25.223 --> 45:27.858
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
45:27.892 --> 45:37.101
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
45:37.134 --> 45:40.805
TREENA:
Hi baby! (laughs)
45:40.838 --> 45:42.740
STEPHANIE:
Hi!
45:42.773 --> 45:45.343
(both laughing)
45:49.247 --> 45:51.515
I like those eyebrows.
45:51.549 --> 45:53.117
Do ya? (laughs)
45:53.150 --> 45:55.686
Hi! Sista\' you
look really nice.
45:55.720 --> 45:57.288
TASHA SMITH: I missed you.
45:57.321 --> 45:58.990
I missed you too.
46:02.126 --> 46:04.195
Peace.
46:04.228 --> 46:07.665
STEPHANIE:
Okay, I don\'t ever want
to come back here again.
46:07.698 --> 46:09.300
Me neither.
46:09.333 --> 46:18.309
(music plays)
46:18.342 --> 46:27.318
(music plays)
46:27.351 --> 46:36.327
(music plays)
46:36.360 --> 46:39.430
(music plays)
46:39.463 --> 46:42.400
TREENA:
We promised each
other that, um,
46:42.433 --> 46:45.870
you know, we, we\'d kinda
keep on the down-low
46:45.903 --> 46:49.440
and not drink and be
good to each other, and...
46:49.473 --> 46:54.812
I think three days into it we were already drinking, and, ah.
46:59.183 --> 47:08.059
(upbeat music plays)
47:08.092 --> 47:13.731
(upbeat music plays)
47:13.764 --> 47:18.703
A week and a half later,
I was back in jail.
47:19.270 --> 47:22.940
(guards talking)
47:24.408 --> 47:26.077
(beep)
47:30.681 --> 47:34.185
SUE AYLES: Okay, so this is the letter.
47:34.218 --> 47:35.686
We can re-write it.
47:35.720 --> 47:37.621
Okay.
47:37.655 --> 47:42.793
SUE: And send it for Friday, with a plan. Jail is not working.
47:42.827 --> 47:48.666
We want to press for an alternative to incarceration.
47:48.699 --> 47:51.769
Because the last time you were here, we talked with this
47:51.802 --> 47:54.438
and you, you said \"I\'m done, I\'m done with this.
47:54.472 --> 47:57.875
This is not working. Why did nobody do this?\"
47:57.908 --> 47:59.643
So, we\'re gonna do it...
47:59.677 --> 48:01.479
if you\'re willing and you want to.
48:01.512 --> 48:04.615
TREENA:
I don\'t even think
they\'re gonna touch it.
48:04.648 --> 48:06.250
SUE: You don\'t?
48:06.283 --> 48:08.085
TREENA:
I don\'t, not in the least.
48:08.119 --> 48:13.324
I\'m tired of fucking looking
like the monster all the time.
48:13.357 --> 48:17.194
I don\'t really know what to
think about any of this.
48:17.228 --> 48:19.930
SUE: I\'ll leave you this and if you\'re not interested,
48:19.964 --> 48:24.368
you\'re not interested. But this might be the opportunity...
48:24.402 --> 48:28.639
to, to do something different... rather than be here.
48:28.672 --> 48:30.307
TREENA:
Okay.
48:30.341 --> 48:33.844
SUE: You know, we can give it our best shot.
48:39.049 --> 48:43.187
BIANCA: I have a bunch of complications with the pregnancy.
48:43.220 --> 48:46.991
Nobody at the prison or the
hospital listened to me.
48:49.026 --> 48:52.229
I was suprised E.Fry,
like, they got me out
48:52.263 --> 48:54.665
to have my baby outside
of prison.
48:54.698 --> 48:59.937
And this is...the baby\'s room.
48:59.970 --> 49:01.539
(chuckles)
49:07.878 --> 49:09.513
(lullaby music)
49:09.547 --> 49:12.249
Whoo, I love it.
49:12.283 --> 49:14.385
I\'m really, really nervous
49:14.418 --> 49:16.487
about ever having to
go back to jail.
49:16.520 --> 49:19.056
I don\'t ever want to
lose my daughter.
49:19.089 --> 49:22.326
Life is changing for once
and I\'m actually happy,
49:22.359 --> 49:24.395
so, it\'s awesome.
49:30.100 --> 49:33.938
MJ JARVIS: Those are my pants, too, if you really want...
49:33.971 --> 49:35.439
(camera clicks)
49:35.473 --> 49:45.082
(music plays)
49:45.115 --> 49:46.650
(camera clicks)
49:53.724 --> 49:56.694
CAITLIN:
I had a...problem today.
49:59.763 --> 50:06.770
So...I have a bit of anxiety
and, it wasn\'t too bad.
50:06.804 --> 50:09.940
So...I have a bit of anxiety
and, it wasn\'t too bad.
50:09.974 --> 50:12.910
(sighs) Frustrating sometimes.
50:20.651 --> 50:26.657
So, today it, it\'s been six days since I\'ve been home
50:26.690 --> 50:31.729
and I haven\'t been doing too
well. This is what I did.
50:35.199 --> 50:38.369
So, it hasn\'t been goin\' good,
but I told my mom, so it\'s
50:38.402 --> 50:42.072
good. A lot of stress tonight,
I will do this again later.
51:02.359 --> 51:06.230
And...we\'re off.
51:18.976 --> 51:28.052
(piano music plays)
52:00.918 --> 52:06.090
BIANCA:
Three days ago, I found out
my baby died inside of me.
52:15.099 --> 52:19.970
And I never really got to
know who she was.
52:28.078 --> 52:30.147
And this is me.
52:32.483 --> 52:34.551
This is who I am.
52:57.007 --> 53:02.479
Althea,...
53:02.513 --> 53:11.321
I want you to know that
I, I love you, so...so much.
53:11.355 --> 53:19.663
Promise to just...be my
angel...to look after me.
53:19.697 --> 53:23.367
To keep me out of harm\'s way.
53:41.051 --> 53:47.324
(crying) I don\'t know
how people do this.
53:59.236 --> 54:08.112
(music plays)
54:08.145 --> 54:17.121
(music plays)
54:17.154 --> 54:26.130
(music plays)
54:26.163 --> 54:35.139
(music plays)
54:35.172 --> 54:41.478
(music plays)
54:41.512 --> 54:45.215
KIM PATE:
Honourable Senators, ah, as
this is my first speech
54:45.249 --> 54:47.084
in the Upper Chamber
of our Parliament.
54:47.117 --> 54:49.286
(applause)
54:49.319 --> 54:52.656
Today I am both honoured and humbled to rise in this Chamber
54:52.689 --> 54:55.159
to call attention to the
circumstances of some
54:55.192 --> 54:59.663
of the most marginalized,
victimized, criminalized and
54:59.696 --> 55:03.767
institutionalized in our country, and to encourage us to
55:03.801 --> 55:07.237
focus in particular on the
increasing over-representation
55:07.271 --> 55:12.242
of Indigenous women in Canadian prisons...and this is why
55:12.276 --> 55:14.778
I call upon you,
my new colleagues,
55:14.812 --> 55:16.914
I ask that we work
together to give
55:16.947 --> 55:20.584
a voice to those who have too
long been rendered voiceless.
55:21.852 --> 55:23.921
I don\'t think I\'ll ever get used to
55:23.954 --> 55:27.825
people calling me Senator Pate. That was kind of a shock.
55:27.858 --> 55:31.628
I got calls from women inside
and I said to them,
55:31.662 --> 55:34.965
\"I expect you guys to hold me
to account if I don\'t do
55:34.998 --> 55:37.835
what I\'m supposed to
do in this job\".
55:48.345 --> 55:51.682
LAURA:
I\'m kinda scared...
55:53.617 --> 55:55.619
thinking that,
55:55.652 --> 56:00.324
what if a bird flies too
close to my head,
56:00.357 --> 56:05.829
what if a car drives too
close to me and he hits me?
56:05.863 --> 56:10.868
Go to the store, there\'s
no pennies anymore.
56:13.237 --> 56:17.941
Like, having a two-litre
bottle of pop,
56:17.975 --> 56:23.113
touching grass, being
right next to a tree.
56:23.146 --> 56:26.450
To hug my son.
56:26.483 --> 56:29.720
What\'s it gonna be like?
56:35.859 --> 56:39.963
MARGARET:
Caitlin lasted eight
weeks at home.
56:39.997 --> 56:43.367
Um, she did property damage...
56:43.400 --> 56:46.637
so she was sentenced
to fifty-six days
56:46.670 --> 56:50.507
which her doctor requested
her to go
56:50.540 --> 56:53.410
to the Forensic
building again.
56:53.443 --> 56:57.180
It was a good visit. She
seemed very pumped today.
56:57.214 --> 57:00.017
Eleven more sleeps and
she gets to come home.
57:00.050 --> 57:03.186
Then there\'s a placement,
supposedly in Truro.
57:03.220 --> 57:05.522
When she was released
from Corrections,
57:05.555 --> 57:07.624
she had five days of
medication, so,
57:07.658 --> 57:12.562
I had five days to get
her into a GP which, I,
57:12.596 --> 57:15.132
we had to go to the
walk-in clinic.
57:15.165 --> 57:17.634
Then the Province pays for
Caitlin\'s medication
57:17.668 --> 57:22.539
and they wouldn\'t cover Abilify which she was prescribed.
57:22.572 --> 57:27.711
Um, so she had to go off
that medication, ah, which,
57:27.744 --> 57:32.149
y\'know, certainly didn\'t
help for success at home.
57:34.851 --> 57:37.688
You know, mummy will always
care and she knows that,
57:37.721 --> 57:42.326
but she needs to feel that the
system\'s there for her.
57:50.968 --> 57:53.971
SUE:
It looks like it\'s gonna
be a long day.
57:54.004 --> 57:55.605
One way or the other.
57:55.639 --> 57:58.842
Um, I know she wants to
work and just live,
57:58.875 --> 58:02.479
but they\'re not likely
to go for that.
58:02.512 --> 58:05.048
It may not be the treatment
that she envisions,
58:05.082 --> 58:08.585
you know, like 7 to 9, Monday
to Friday kind of thing,
58:08.618 --> 58:11.355
um, but treatment is
an alternative.
58:11.388 --> 58:14.691
TASHA SMITH:
Okay, good, I\'m happy cause
it feels like it\'s always on
58:14.725 --> 58:16.893
my shoulders and it\'s
always, like, y\'know,
58:16.927 --> 58:19.763
I\'m the only person that she
has outside so it\'s hard.
58:19.796 --> 58:22.599
We don\'t have parents, we don\'t have people, for that outlet,
58:22.632 --> 58:26.269
we didn\'t grow up with that so
Treena relies on me for that.
58:26.303 --> 58:29.272
FILMMAKER:
So how many times have
you been here for Treena?
58:29.306 --> 58:34.444
Over eighty, probably, in
the last fifteen years.
58:34.478 --> 58:38.115
I come in anytime Treena\'s, um, arrested, I come in
58:38.148 --> 58:41.418
and I essentially just come
and be her support.
58:44.921 --> 58:46.590
Hi.
58:52.629 --> 58:55.966
TASHA SMITH:
But I don\'t want her to ever
walk in that courtroom
58:55.999 --> 58:58.802
and not see my face \'cause
we don\'t have my mom
58:58.835 --> 59:00.637
supporting her or
my dad or anybody.
59:00.670 --> 59:03.106
When she walks in the
courtroom she has that,
59:03.140 --> 59:09.279
okay, y\'know, I have
her. She\'s here.
59:09.312 --> 59:13.750
TREENA SMITH:
I\'m out but I kind of feel
not out at the same time.
59:13.784 --> 59:16.420
Um, he decided to give
me time served,
59:16.453 --> 59:20.257
but have the no contact
order with my wife.
59:23.193 --> 59:26.430
TREENA:
This is the best hug
I\'ve ever gotten.
59:26.463 --> 59:29.266
Not really sure how to
feel but I am gonna give
59:29.299 --> 59:32.269
the transition house a chance.
But I\'m happy, I\'m happy.
59:32.302 --> 59:33.970
It\'s nice out.
59:34.004 --> 59:35.672
See, and it\'s recording now...
59:35.705 --> 59:37.307
TASHA:
Okay.
59:37.340 --> 59:38.975
TREENA:
Okay?
59:39.009 --> 59:41.812
TASHA:
Hopefully this will be
your last move for a bit.
59:41.845 --> 59:43.547
Thanks for everything.
59:43.580 --> 59:45.215
TASHA:
You\'re welcome.
59:45.248 --> 59:49.686
So, this is a new
chapter and hopefully, ah,
59:49.719 --> 59:53.623
this will straighten me out,
at least a little bit.
59:57.027 --> 01:00:06.603
So, I\'m gonna let you see
as much as I can, camera.
01:00:08.004 --> 01:00:12.809
Having a baby wasn\'t gonna
make me happy.
01:00:12.843 --> 01:00:19.116
It also didn\'t make
me very happy losing her,
01:00:19.149 --> 01:00:24.054
but...some things
you can\'t change,
01:00:27.257 --> 01:00:33.296
and I\'ve made too many changes
in my life to turn back now.
01:00:42.906 --> 01:00:46.176
Everyone expects me to relapse,
01:00:46.209 --> 01:00:48.245
to drown in everything
I\'ve been through.
01:00:50.547 --> 01:00:54.151
I know I wanna do good
and I wanna be good.
01:00:54.184 --> 01:00:57.521
I wanna to be able
to support myself.
01:00:57.554 --> 01:01:01.725
I want to be able to have
children and be happy and...
01:01:01.758 --> 01:01:05.762
I want to be off methadone.
I want to be mentally stable.
01:01:05.795 --> 01:01:08.532
That\'s a lot to take on!
01:01:18.141 --> 01:01:22.112
TREENA:
I like having the, the
support every day,
01:01:22.145 --> 01:01:25.482
but I\'m also scared, like,
the longer that I stay here,
01:01:25.515 --> 01:01:27.184
the more comfortable
I\'m gonna be
01:01:27.217 --> 01:01:29.786
and it\'s gonna be harder
for when I do leave,
01:01:29.819 --> 01:01:32.889
so, that\'s kind of what\'s
going on in my head right now.
01:01:32.923 --> 01:01:35.792
The more I\'ve been relapsing,
too, like I don\'t sit there
01:01:35.825 --> 01:01:38.895
and I\'m like, this is fun
anymore, I think it\'s, ah,
01:01:38.929 --> 01:01:40.530
the last couple times I used,
01:01:40.564 --> 01:01:43.366
really gave me
a different outlook.
01:01:45.902 --> 01:01:47.704
I recently started
to think about
01:01:47.737 --> 01:01:50.340
how things affect
other people.
01:01:50.373 --> 01:01:52.042
I regret hurting people.
01:01:52.075 --> 01:01:56.246
I regret not grabbing
opportunities in my life.
01:01:56.279 --> 01:01:58.315
It\'s a never ending battle.
01:02:08.792 --> 01:02:10.894
I see a place where I\'m safe.
01:02:10.927 --> 01:02:15.198
ANNE:
What we thought we\'d do today
is to get creative with you.
01:02:15.232 --> 01:02:18.635
I see a place where I\'m never gonna be told I\'m not accepted.
01:02:18.668 --> 01:02:21.504
ANNE:
How do all these pieces
that you\'ve told us about,
01:02:21.538 --> 01:02:23.139
how do they sit together?
01:02:23.173 --> 01:02:26.009
TREENA:
I see a place where I\'m never
gonna feel rejected.
01:02:26.042 --> 01:02:29.112
TANYA:
Inside the house, are we
still gonna run with the idea
01:02:29.145 --> 01:02:31.681
of our tree?
01:02:31.715 --> 01:02:36.519
TREENA:
I see a place where I want to
learn, where I want to teach.
01:02:36.553 --> 01:02:39.222
TANYA:
And then this is kind
of like a cabin.
01:02:39.256 --> 01:02:41.291
Oh, that\'d be so nice.
01:02:44.194 --> 01:02:48.898
How are we gonna convince who
puts all that money into jail,
01:02:48.932 --> 01:02:51.468
how are we gonna convince
them to stop doing that
01:02:51.501 --> 01:02:53.103
and put the money into us?
01:02:53.136 --> 01:02:55.705
TREENA:
It\'s gonna have to start
out really small, y\'know,
01:02:55.739 --> 01:02:58.041
and, and leave the
dream kind of later.
01:02:58.074 --> 01:03:01.444
ANNE: But the dream, it isn\'t unrealistic, in my, in my mind.
01:03:01.478 --> 01:03:05.081
When projects fail it\'s because they don\'t have a strong vision.
01:03:05.115 --> 01:03:08.451
You guys have the,
the strongest vision.
01:03:11.888 --> 01:03:15.625
BIANCA:
From the Ground Up is a home
for us women to grow, learn,
01:03:15.659 --> 01:03:18.395
re-create our lives without
the use of prisons.
01:03:18.428 --> 01:03:22.565
Let\'s use money for a better
cause. Jails do not help us.
01:03:22.599 --> 01:03:25.935
It will be a place where you
learn to love other people
01:03:25.969 --> 01:03:29.939
and yourself. A place that gives you a sense of responsibility.
01:03:29.973 --> 01:03:32.609
It\'s a place that gives you
something to work towards,
01:03:32.642 --> 01:03:34.978
building your self esteem
and confidence.
01:03:35.011 --> 01:03:37.847
When you are needed and
a part of something,
01:03:37.881 --> 01:03:39.649
it gives you a sense
of community,
01:03:39.683 --> 01:03:42.919
a community where everyone
is reliant on each other.
01:03:42.952 --> 01:03:45.455
I never felt so good
about something,
01:03:45.488 --> 01:03:47.190
so compassionate
about something.
01:03:47.223 --> 01:03:53.296
I\'ve never felt so able, y\'know just to be able to do something.
01:03:53.330 --> 01:03:59.803
(clapping)
01:03:59.836 --> 01:04:03.973
TREENA:
From The Ground Up is, y\'know,
it, it\'s the hopes that we can
01:04:04.007 --> 01:04:06.943
give these women their self
worth back. Find ways to make,
01:04:06.976 --> 01:04:10.780
make these people feel useful
again and beautiful.
01:04:10.814 --> 01:04:14.851
It\'s up to us to come together
to help these women who\'ve
01:04:14.884 --> 01:04:18.521
been wronged so bad that need
us to reach out for them.
01:04:18.555 --> 01:04:22.359
I only hope that I can be a part of it, straight to the end,
01:04:22.392 --> 01:04:24.961
um, and to see it through.
01:04:24.994 --> 01:04:28.832
(clapping)
01:04:28.865 --> 01:04:31.968
I would think it would be a
great opportunity for you guys
01:04:32.001 --> 01:04:35.338
to present this to the Minister responsible for Corrections
01:04:35.372 --> 01:04:38.108
because what you\'ve proposed
looks an awful lot like
01:04:38.141 --> 01:04:40.877
Blueprint for Change which
was a plan that was
01:04:40.910 --> 01:04:42.979
put in place close to
thirty years ago.
01:04:43.012 --> 01:04:45.548
So, not really a question,
sorry, it was a comment.
01:04:45.582 --> 01:04:47.183
(laughing)
01:04:47.217 --> 01:04:49.519
When will you be ready to
do that presentation?
01:04:49.552 --> 01:04:51.154
There\'s the question.
01:04:51.187 --> 01:04:54.157
(clapping)
01:04:54.190 --> 01:04:59.062
BIANCA:
Yesterday, I, I spoke
in front of the guards
01:04:59.095 --> 01:05:00.764
I\'m about to go see.
01:05:04.701 --> 01:05:07.804
When things
are going good,
01:05:07.837 --> 01:05:12.709
something bad...something
bad always happens.
01:05:12.742 --> 01:05:15.745
I said I was able, huh?
01:05:15.779 --> 01:05:17.647
Able to go to jail.
01:05:19.916 --> 01:05:21.751
They can\'t do this.
01:05:21.785 --> 01:05:25.722
They put a no contact order
on the father of my child.
01:05:30.360 --> 01:05:31.928
(camera clicks)
01:05:31.961 --> 01:05:34.063
Oh, that necklace,
it\'s super important.
01:05:34.097 --> 01:05:35.698
That\'s my daughter\'s ashes.
01:05:35.732 --> 01:05:37.834
It\'s Althea\'s ashes.
01:05:37.867 --> 01:05:43.440
Wow, one breach. I\'ll get out on the fifth...twenty days.
01:05:43.473 --> 01:05:45.909
GUARD:
Yeah, she can be stripped
searched, yup.
01:05:46.876 --> 01:05:48.945
Thank you.
01:05:48.978 --> 01:05:50.847
That\'s fucked.
01:05:56.753 --> 01:05:59.989
GUARD:
I have Bianca Mercer.
01:06:00.023 --> 01:06:08.998
(woman yelling)
01:06:11.768 --> 01:06:15.672
(guards talking)
01:06:16.906 --> 01:06:19.576
GUARDS:
She\'ll be alright.
She\'ll calm down.
01:06:23.079 --> 01:06:27.050
GUARDS:
Sheriffs are in.
Ah, for fuck\'s sake!
01:06:30.220 --> 01:06:34.457
(music plays)
01:06:34.491 --> 01:06:37.460
SPOKEN-WORD POET:
Gotta believe that
I\'m worth something,
01:06:37.494 --> 01:06:40.897
that I\'m more than
just a number.
01:06:40.930 --> 01:06:42.599
That\'s what you told me
01:06:42.632 --> 01:06:45.335
but I\'m more than the
scars that shape us.
01:06:45.368 --> 01:06:47.737
LAURA: Psst, Tasha.
01:06:47.770 --> 01:06:49.339
What?
01:06:49.372 --> 01:06:53.943
Come here. One two three.
01:06:53.977 --> 01:07:01.951
(group humming and singing)
01:07:01.985 --> 01:07:07.891
(group humming and singing)
01:07:07.924 --> 01:07:14.797
(group humming and singing)
01:07:14.831 --> 01:07:18.401
NATASHA:
So grateful when you get
to go out, I\'m so happy for ya.
01:07:18.434 --> 01:07:20.003
Isn\'t that crazy?
01:07:20.036 --> 01:07:21.638
Yeah. Gettin\' nervous?
You gettin\' excited?
01:07:21.671 --> 01:07:23.273
Yes, I\'m really nervous.
01:07:23.306 --> 01:07:24.974
NATASHA & LAURA:
Wela\'lin. (Thank you)
01:07:26.743 --> 01:07:28.378
NATASHA & LAURA:
I love you.
01:07:28.411 --> 01:07:30.280
ANNOUNCER:
Lock up ladies, lock up.
01:07:37.287 --> 01:07:40.123
KIM PATE:
I would never ever want
to discourage women from
01:07:40.156 --> 01:07:43.560
coming up with a plan like
the women came up with
01:07:43.593 --> 01:07:50.333
and we\'ve got, y\'know, countless examples, we can just look here.
01:07:50.366 --> 01:07:53.636
We\'ve got, at the federal
and provincial level,
01:07:53.670 --> 01:07:56.339
we\'ve got exactly what
the women propose.
01:07:56.372 --> 01:08:00.376
Creating Choices was tabled
in April of 1990
01:08:00.410 --> 01:08:04.047
by the federal government
and it is still seen,
01:08:04.080 --> 01:08:08.651
internationally, as the most
ground breaking, human rights
01:08:08.685 --> 01:08:12.455
based, women centric,
women directed model.
01:08:12.488 --> 01:08:16.459
And now we have six little
prisons for, well, big now,
01:08:16.492 --> 01:08:19.529
the number of women in them
is more than were at the
01:08:19.562 --> 01:08:21.831
Prison for Women which
they were built to replace.
01:08:21.864 --> 01:08:26.235
And they all started out,
cottage-style, little houses,
01:08:26.269 --> 01:08:31.040
no fences, no eye in the sky
cameras, no segregation.
01:08:31.074 --> 01:08:33.176
Every single one of
these initiatives,
01:08:33.209 --> 01:08:35.878
before they were even
finished being built,
01:08:35.912 --> 01:08:38.748
were becoming more
and more prison like.
01:08:38.781 --> 01:08:41.751
The failure of this
is what propelled
01:08:41.784 --> 01:08:44.187
the Canadian Association
of Elizabeth Fry Societies
01:08:44.220 --> 01:08:47.023
to embrace an abolitionist
perspective.
01:08:47.056 --> 01:08:51.461
Nobody\'s stopping, stemming
the tide coming in.
01:08:51.494 --> 01:08:55.665
I think we actually have
to just do an about face.
01:09:02.372 --> 01:09:05.541
Whether it\'s Bianca or Treena
or anybody else, to think,
01:09:05.575 --> 01:09:09.579
I have to do this and it\'s all
on me to make this work. No.
01:09:09.612 --> 01:09:13.216
We\'ll get as far as we can and
if we don\'t get to exactly
01:09:13.249 --> 01:09:16.352
where we want to be we\'ll just
keep pushing to get there.
01:09:19.288 --> 01:09:23.393
SENATOR WANDA BERNARD:
So tonight we continue our
study of the issues relating
01:09:23.426 --> 01:09:26.029
to the human rights
of prisoners.
01:09:26.062 --> 01:09:28.931
Just please come forward
and have a seat please.
01:09:28.965 --> 01:09:33.469
TREENA:
Which button do I press here
to, oh, it\'s this one, okay.
01:09:33.503 --> 01:09:35.438
Okay, ah, my name
is Treena Smith.
01:09:35.471 --> 01:09:38.107
This is the longest
I\'ve been out in...
01:09:38.141 --> 01:09:41.344
probably four years,
so I\'m doing alright.
01:09:41.377 --> 01:09:43.446
We started working
on a documentary
01:09:43.479 --> 01:09:46.683
two and a half years ago, um,
basically talking about
01:09:46.716 --> 01:09:49.519
what we need from society to
keep ourselves out of prison
01:09:49.552 --> 01:09:52.155
and trying to look at opening
up a transition house,
01:09:52.188 --> 01:09:55.491
perhaps in the country, having
women so they don\'t have to
01:09:55.525 --> 01:09:58.494
get out and get on social assistance, making a pay cheque,
01:09:58.528 --> 01:10:00.430
getting their
independence back.
01:10:00.463 --> 01:10:02.999
Treena\'s pretty incredible.
Come join us for the picture.
01:10:03.032 --> 01:10:06.302
Yes, it\'s a long journey.
01:10:06.335 --> 01:10:09.672
KIM PATE:
Canada has the resources
and we can and should
01:10:09.706 --> 01:10:12.909
be a leader in
decarcerating.
01:10:15.244 --> 01:10:17.747
We need to be investing
in people,
01:10:17.780 --> 01:10:20.083
and certainly not
in prisons.
01:10:21.117 --> 01:10:25.154
(music plays)
(group humming and singing)
01:10:25.188 --> 01:10:28.691
BIANCA: It really symbolizes us growing and becoming a family,
01:10:28.725 --> 01:10:32.261
and...we\'re coming
out the mud, man.
01:10:34.997 --> 01:10:38.735
TREENA:
Y\'know, a tree represents
strength to me
01:10:38.768 --> 01:10:41.838
and that\'s what we all
need right now.
01:10:43.106 --> 01:10:45.408
TANYA:
From The Ground Up, ladies!
01:10:45.441 --> 01:10:47.243
This little guy\'s gonna
take us home.
01:10:47.276 --> 01:10:50.613
BIANCA: And I know there\'s other girls that are missing and it sucks
01:10:50.646 --> 01:10:54.117
they\'re not here but...we\'re
gonna bring them with us.
01:11:00.790 --> 01:11:05.762
TREENA:
I\'m deciding that I need to
make myself better first.
01:11:05.795 --> 01:11:12.568
(music plays)
(group humming and singing)
01:11:12.602 --> 01:11:15.204
I still have a long way
to go, mind you,
01:11:15.238 --> 01:11:17.707
I\'m not, I\'m not cured
or anything,
01:11:17.740 --> 01:11:20.676
but I,...I just feel
more hopeful today.
01:11:37.927 --> 01:11:41.264
CAITLIN:
I\'m in Truro in a group
home setting.
01:11:41.297 --> 01:11:44.600
I\'m out in the community and
I can go out for a walk
01:11:44.634 --> 01:11:49.138
with staff. I would hate
to go back to prison.
01:11:49.172 --> 01:11:53.009
I feel safe living here.
01:11:53.042 --> 01:11:55.178
That\'s a pretty picture.
01:11:55.211 --> 01:11:59.615
Layers of my life.
01:11:59.649 --> 01:12:04.854
Peeling back the layers.
Dealing with my problems.
01:12:04.887 --> 01:12:09.058
Happy to have my family
be on my side.
01:12:09.091 --> 01:12:13.963
Tired of not knowing if
I\'ve got any friends.
01:12:25.508 --> 01:12:28.678
BIANCA:
I want to be an advocate.
I wanna fight for women.
01:12:28.711 --> 01:12:32.315
I want to fight the system. My
dream job is to be a lawyer
01:12:32.348 --> 01:12:36.018
and I wanna go to
school for that.
01:12:36.052 --> 01:12:38.554
Hey Laura!
01:12:38.588 --> 01:12:43.459
(laughs) Oh my God, I can\'t
believe you\'re here though,
01:12:43.492 --> 01:12:51.200
like for real. This
is cool. (laughs) OMG.
01:12:51.234 --> 01:12:53.402
It is cool.
01:12:53.436 --> 01:12:56.906
Let\'s walk man. Let\'s get out of here.
01:13:13.155 --> 01:13:17.693
(laughs)
I feel crazy.
01:13:17.727 --> 01:13:21.564
BIANCA:
Oh man, it won\'t go away
for a couple of days.
01:13:21.597 --> 01:13:25.968
Really? It\'s like, there\'s
no echo out here.
01:13:31.874 --> 01:13:35.378
So that\'s this.
01:13:35.411 --> 01:13:38.381
BIANCA:
You can start it
and stop it here, so,
01:13:38.414 --> 01:13:40.349
see how it says \"standby\"?
01:13:40.383 --> 01:13:41.951
Yeah.
01:13:41.984 --> 01:13:44.754
BIANCA:
Record everything,
even if you\'re not good.
01:13:44.787 --> 01:13:46.555
Even if you\'re not
good, record it.
01:13:46.589 --> 01:13:48.257
Yup.
01:13:56.632 --> 01:14:00.703
(knocking)
01:15:27.957 --> 01:15:30.126
JULES CÔTE:
♪Jangle keys and
shuffle feet parade.♪
01:15:30.159 --> 01:15:32.695
♪Those sounds reminds me of
those great mistakes I made.♪
01:15:32.728 --> 01:15:35.297
♪I know I\'m not an angel,
nor am I worst on earth.♪
01:15:35.331 --> 01:15:37.867
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
01:15:37.900 --> 01:15:40.703
SINGERS:
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
01:15:40.736 --> 01:15:43.706
♪Release me from my shackles,
let me prove my worth.♪
01:15:43.739 --> 01:15:46.175
♪More than a number.
01:15:46.208 --> 01:15:48.044
JULES:
♪Gotta believe that
I\'m worth something.♪
01:15:48.077 --> 01:15:50.413
SINGERS:
♪More than a number.
01:15:50.446 --> 01:15:52.515
JULES:
♪That I\'m more than
just a number.♪
01:15:52.548 --> 01:15:56.552
SINGERS:
♪More than a number.♪
01:15:56.585 --> 01:16:00.990
♪More than the scars
that shape us.♪
01:16:03.492 --> 01:16:05.694
JULES:
♪You told me
I was just a number.♪
01:16:05.728 --> 01:16:07.530
♪Can\'t take my hope,
always a dreamer.♪
01:16:07.563 --> 01:16:09.331
♪Gotta live with
my many sins,♪
01:16:09.365 --> 01:16:11.000
♪my imperfect
self shines within.♪
01:16:11.033 --> 01:16:13.469
♪Gotta prove to the world
over and over again.♪
01:16:13.502 --> 01:16:15.538
♪It\'s exhausting
being so angry.♪
01:16:15.571 --> 01:16:19.875
SINGERS: ♪Je suis plus que juste un numéro.♪
01:16:19.909 --> 01:16:22.812
LUDIVINE: I\'m the one who makes art with orphan beads.
01:16:22.845 --> 01:16:26.082
Because no one wants them. They remind me of all of us.
01:16:26.115 --> 01:16:28.884
Forgotten souls in all
prisons around the world.
01:16:28.918 --> 01:16:30.519
When you give them a chance.
01:16:30.553 --> 01:16:32.888
They\'re the most beautiful
creations born.
01:16:32.922 --> 01:16:35.091
When you give us a chance.
01:16:35.124 --> 01:16:37.726
We\'re the most beautiful creations born.
01:16:39.662 --> 01:16:42.398
KATELYN: I am so quiet, but I need to speak.
01:16:42.431 --> 01:16:44.700
So much emotion pours out of me.
01:16:44.733 --> 01:16:47.236
I wish I could tell you how I feel.
01:16:47.269 --> 01:16:49.105
But I\'m so scared of what\'s real.
01:16:52.074 --> 01:16:55.411
SINGERS: ♪More than a number.♪
01:16:56.045 --> 01:16:59.381
♪More than a number.♪
01:17:00.082 --> 01:17:04.453
♪More than a number.♪
01:17:04.487 --> 01:17:08.991
♪More than the scars that shape us.♪
01:17:09.024 --> 01:17:11.193
VANESSA: Thank you for hearing our own personal
01:17:11.227 --> 01:17:13.329
thoughts. You need to remember, never give up.
01:17:13.362 --> 01:17:15.898
SINGERS: ♪Never give up, never, never give up.♪
01:17:15.931 --> 01:17:18.567
♪Never give up, never, never give up.♪
01:17:18.601 --> 01:17:22.905
♪Raise up, raise up.♪
01:17:22.938 --> 01:17:25.508
JULES: ♪Your pain won\'t go unnoticed, you are not alone.♪
01:17:25.541 --> 01:17:28.277
♪You can set yourself free and build yourself a home.♪
01:17:28.310 --> 01:17:34.250
SINGERS:
♪Je suis plus que
juste un numéro.♪
01:17:34.283 --> 01:17:36.785
JULES:
♪Beyond the fence,
we see common ground.♪
01:17:36.819 --> 01:17:45.794
(humming)
01:17:45.828 --> 01:17:52.868
(humming)
Distributor: National Film Board of Canada
Length: 78 minutes
Date: 2019
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: Warning: Alcohol and drug use, smoking, mentions and depictions of self-harm, some profanity, refere
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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